Various playground structures are known to the art. Such structures are common features at schools, parks, recreation areas, and even many fast food establishments, and typically include a variety of surfaces that children can play on or interact with.
FIG. 1 depicts one example of a commercially available playground structure. The structure 11 includes a raised decking 13 that is equipped with railings 15, and that is supported on a series of posts 17. A variety of structures are accessible from the raised decking, including a first 19 and second 21 slide, a portico 23, a tube 25, and an observation bubble 27 set in a frame 29.
At present, many of the components of commercially available playground structures are made from various plastics. Thus, in the particular system depicted in FIG. 1, the decking 13, the first 19 and second 21 slide, the portico 23, the tube 25, and the frame 29 of the observation bubble 27 are all made from plastics. The use of plastics in playground structures is highly advantageous, due to their ability to be molded or extruded into a wide variety of shapes and colors. Plastics also have a high mechanical strength to weight ratio, and are very child-friendly.
However, the use of plastics in playground structures also has some drawbacks. Most notably, many plastics commonly used in this application absorb a significant amount of solar radiation, particularly infrared radiation. This is often true even if the constituent polymers of the plastic are themselves largely transparent to such radiation, because these plastics are, for aesthetic purposes, typically loaded with dyes and pigments that absorb substantial amounts of solar radiation. Consequently, playground structures made from these plastics often become hot to the touch when they are exposed to sunlight, especially in warmer climates. Under such conditions, these structures can be uncomfortable to use, and pose a risk of burns or other injuries. Excessive heating of playground structures under these conditions also tends to shorten the life of the structure.
Some attempts have been made in the art to deal with this issue. For example, many playground structures are provided with roofs or canopies to provide shading. However, such measures add significantly to the cost of the structure, and are often effective only when the sun is at certain angles or the structure is oriented in a particular direction. In many commercial settings, as with playground structures at fast food restaurants, the entire playground structure is housed indoors or within a stand-alone structure. However, this approach again adds significantly to the cost of the structure, and is not feasible for most playground settings.
There is thus a need in the art for a playground structure made out of plastics or other such commonly used materials, and which does not suffer from the aforementioned infirmities. In particular, there is a need in the art for a playground structure whose surface temperature can be maintained within an ergonomically acceptable range. These and other needs are met by the present invention, as hereinafter described.